Page 42 - Denver, CO Adaptive Reuse Program

CHAPTER 6: FACILITATION & PROCESSING
COMPONENT
Introduction
The facilitation component of the adaptive reuse program focuses
on assuring that the permitting process is understandable and runs
smoothly and efficiently. Facilitating interdepartmental communi-
cation and assisting applicants through the process are important
aspects of this program component.

Currently, each department involved in the review of an adaptive
reuse project outlines their process, which is unique to that de-
partment. Each has different review times and procedures and a
different method to request a modification to the requirements in
the respective regulations. These differences confuse applicants.
The main commonality and centralizing feature of facilitating
adaptive reuse applications is the use of the e-permit system that is
accessed through the Development Services webpage. The online,
“e-permitting” system provides applicants a way to go through the
permitting process electronically. This includes submitting relevant
plan details, submitting permits, adding contractors to a project,
paying fees and scheduling inspections.

While the e-permitting system provides a centralized submittal,
it still lacks the human facilitation component which many small,
adaptive reuse projects being completed by first-time applicants
and mom-and-pop businesses often need. In order to ease the con-
fusion and more efficiently direct applicants to appropriate solu-
tions and through the right processes, a key is to establish a single
point of contact for applicants of smaller adaptive reuse projects.
This “Adaptive Reuse Coordinator” position, which would be
within the Community Planning and Development Department,
would:
• Be the central point of contact to answer basic questions
about adaptive reuse
• Assist with interdepartmental communication, to coordinate
various permitting processes
• Help identify creative solutions to requirements that may be
obstacles to adaptive reuse
• Maintain a project case record so all involved can continue
to learn from previous projects

38 City of Denver, CO